Hinge.



PATENTED MAY 22, 1906.

H. N. BAOKU$.

HINGE. APPLICATION FILED MAYQ, 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

PATENTED MAY 22, 1906.

H. N. BACKUS.

HINGE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 9, 1903.

2 SHEETSSHEBT 2.

this improved hinge.

UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HINGE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 22, 1906.

Application filed May 9, 1903. Serial No. 156,895.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY N. BAGKUS, a citizen of the United States, residing at De troit, in the county of Wayne, State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hinges; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to Which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference 'marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to a hinge more expressly for use in connection with a box or crate for packing or shipping purposes; and it consists in the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out particularly in the claim.

The object of the invention is to provide a hinge of extreme facility of movement, yet possessing such a structure as to always bring the cover properly into place when closed, the arrangement being such as to produce a hinge which is strong and durable, yet adapted to afford the widest latitude in the movement of the cover, so as to prevent a possible breaking of the hinge members, no matter in what position the cover may be placed, and to insure a return of the cover to its proper position from any of the unusual attitudes it may occupy when open.

The above object is attained by the structure illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a fragmentary view in perspective of a portion of a crate and cover, the cover being united to the crate by means of Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of a portion of a crate and cover, showing the position of the hinge members when the cover is open and swung downwardly. Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the hinge members. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view in perspective of a portion of the crate and cover, showing the latitude of movement allowed the cover when swung open, owing to the wide range of movement afforded the hinge members. Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view, in end elevation, of the crate and cover, showing the cover in the act of closing. Fig. 6 is a sectional View through the hinge member and a portion of the crate and cover with the cover closed. Fig. 7 is a like view showing the position of parts with the cover swung back as when open.

Referring to the characters of reference, 1 designates the crate or package, which may be of any suitable construction. Adapted to close said crate or package is a suitable cover '2, which may be formed of a plurality of slats or pieces 3 and to the rear edge of which the member 4 of the hinge is secured. Said member 4 of the hinge comprises a flat metal plate which is folded upon itself near its longitudinal center to form the transversely-extending eye 5, the lower side of said plate being bent downwardly from said eye, as shown at 6, and the opposed sides of said plate standing approximately parallel, as shown in Fig. 3. The side plates of the hinge member 4 are adapted to embrace between them the rear edge of the piece 3 of the cover, to which said hinge member is securely fastened by the rivets 7, which pass through the registering apertures 8 in said side plates and through the interposed cover-piece 3, as clearly shown in Figs. 6 and 7. 5

Another of the hinge members comprises a link 9, having at one end a transverse bar 10, which passes through and is adapted to rotate in the oblong eye 5 of the member 4. At the opposite end of said link is preferably a circular portion 11, adapted to receive a staple or similar fastening means 12, which embraces said circular portion and is clenched in the upper slat of the crate or box, whereby said link becomes pivotally attached at one end to the crate and permits not only a vertical movement, but also a horizontal movement, of said link in the staple, thereby permitting a considerable lateral movement of the cover when opened.

It will be noted that the cross-bar 10 of the link will rotate in the eye 5 of the hinge member 4 and that the circular portion 11 of said link will turn in the staple 12 and also slide slightly therethrough, enabling the cover when open to be placed at an angle to the crate without injury to the hinge, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. It will also be observed that when the link is raised to the vertical position in the act of closing the cover, as shown in Fig. 5, its engagement with the face of the top strip of the crate will cause it to stand parallel therewith, while the broad bearing afforded by the bar 10 lying within the eye 5 will straighten the cover with respect to the crate and cause it to fall squarely thereon when closed. This facility of movement of the parts comprising the hinge prevents the cover from being torn from the crate, and it enables the cover to move quite freely in all directions without imparting said movement to the crate, thereby relieving the strain upon the hinge and preventing the tearing of the hinge members loose from their fastenings.

Having thus fully set forth my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a hinge for shipping-crates, the combination with the crate and cover, of a hinge comprising a member fixed to the cover, having a bearing-eye extending transversely thereof, a link having a transverse bar at one end rotatively seated in said eye, a hinge member secured to the body of the crate having an aperture therein which loosely receives the opposite end of said link, whereby the cover is flexibly hinged to the crate and is caused to fall squarely thereon when closed.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

HENRY N. BACKUS. Witnesses:

E. S. WHEELER, P. A. HALL. 

